Hive Stories

Hive Stories will take you on a journey from the Birth of Brontee Bee and her adventures along the life of a honey bee where she meets her friends, who help her spread the word of beeing sustainable.

Birthing of Brontee Bee

Birthing Brontee Bee

Before the Birthing, Brontee Bee was sitting nestled in her hexagon, she felt safe and looked after by her nurse worker bee. The nurse worker bee sings as she goes to the neighbouring cells. The delicious syrup she gave Brontee Bee made her feel extremely alive, her dreams are all about flying and seeing the best fields and flowers.

The Birthing full story

Brontee Bee Feeds the Queen

Brontee Bee feeds the Queen

Queen Bee Karlene

Brontee Bee felt extremely proud that she had been picked to look after Queen Karlene. The nursery staff had already given Brontee the best information of the Queens favourite nectar. This was brought to Brontee Bee by her friend Fran who was one of the foraging bees who gathered the nectar for the hive fresh each day.

For the full story

The First day as a Scout

Brontee Bee's first day as a scout

The hum from the heat was extremely loud, people don’t realise when you’re in the bush sounds are the only company you have, when you’re on your first scouting trip it is all about what you hear and smell.

First day as a Scout – the full story

The Waggle Dance

Fun Fact:

Bee Waggle Dance

Bees who go out sourcing nectar and pollen, the first scout comes back and will do the Bee Waggle Dance. At the entrance of the hive on the opening the scout starts to wriggle its body and the other bees who will be the collectors of the nectar and pollen gather around to watch. The scout uses the Sun to show the exact directions to the source of food, if any late comers join the crowd of bees the scout will adjust the dance showing the bee who has just arrived exactly the corrected direction by the sun. So all the instructions given to all the different bees will take all of them to the exact same location.

Creative Commons Licence, thanks to:

Created by

Robbie I’Anson Price
Enrico Milanese

Department of Ecology and Evolution, Biophore, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

Civil Engineering Institute, Materials Science and Engineering Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland

Rosie the Rosella

Rosie the Rosella, sat high in the tree surveying the yard close to Brontee Bee’s hive. There was a beech tree. On the floor of the yard many beech seed pods were scattered.

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The full story

Costa the Black Cockatoo

Costa the Black Cockatoo sat quietly in the top of the Casuarina tree as the day was about to break. He looked down below him and saw a strange little creature sitting by itself. It was a Bee. Costa did his squawk ERRRR quiet loudly.

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The full story

Dave the Bottle Nosed Dolphin

Dave the Bottlenose Dolphin glided into the shallows to take a better look at the Bee and Cockatoo standing on the sand discussing how they would reach the island called Tasmania.

The full story

Sabina the White Sea Eagle

Sabina the White Sea Eagle helps Costa and Brontee Bee

The strength of the wings was very easily seen, looking up from my secure feathered neck area where I was nestled.

Costa came closer to speak with the majestic creature the White Sea Eagle. The eagle didn’t slow its pace it had a perfect thermal which carried it higher than what Costa and Brontee felt comfortable in following. Costa called out that they needed the creatures help.

The full story

Benji Blue Cap

Benji Blue Cap bounced on the aloe vera leaf just outside Annette’s window. He fussed and bothered until she got up to find out what was the matter. Benji twittered, chittered and started flying and jumping from the window then over to the bird bath, making such a racket.

The full story

Brontee Bee and the Nursery Babies

There was a commotion in the nursery, aphids were scurrying along stalks and leaves, sucking the life out of them. Leaf mites were also burrowing into juicy leaves, the poor plants were under attack.

The full story